My Supports

I am fortunate to have many supports in my life, including my husband, my family and my friends.  Raising two children while working full time and taking classes for my graduate degree. I often rely on the support of those arround me.  My husband provides emotional support to me when the stress of my busy schedule seems to be too much.   My friends and family also help provide emotional support as well as help to care for my children and their needs.  In addition to the people I have supporting me, I rely on electronics to communicate with others, keep my schedule, remind me of important tasks and complete my work.  I also rely on my car for work and for my personal life.  Living in a rural area, having transportation is an essential part of life.  Without any one of these supports, my life would be much more difficult.  Of these supports, I could live without the electronics because they could be replaced with other methods to organize my life.  However, the supports of my family and friends would be impossible to replace.  I can not imagine my life without them.

I am also fortunate that I am physically able, however I have often thought about the supports I would need if I had a physical disability.  For example, if I had lost muscle  control of my arm, leg or another part of my body, I would need the support of a device to help me get around.  I would also need the supports of a doctor, hospital and physical therapist.  I would need the supports of others for income if  I were unable to work.  I would also need the supports of my family and friends and maybe others in the community to do the things that I would not be able to physically do and to help me handle these challenges emotionally.  I have a hard time relying on others and I don't like to ask for help, but with a physical disability I would need to have others help with things that I would  not otherwise be able to do..  From basic care and management of my needs and that of my home and family I would need to rely on the supports of others.  I can't imagine having medical needs but not having the support of a doctor and hospital staff.  I also can't imagine how difficult life would be without the devices that would allow me to get around on my own and do some things by myself.  I also think that my friends and family would be even more of a source of support as I would need their help as well as their love and support.

My Connections to Play

I tried to teach my child with books,

He gave me only puzzled looks.

I tried to teach my child with words,

They passed him by often unheard.

Despairingly I turned aside,

How shall I teach this child, I cried.

Into my hands he put the key,

“Come”, he said, “play with me!”

-Author Unknown

These are a few of the toys that I played with while growing up in the 70's and 80's.  Although I had plenty of toys growing up, my brothers, my friends and I spent the majority of our time outside- riding bikes, jumping in mud puddles, swimming, running through fields, sled riding and building forts.  We would stay outside in the summer and winter and would only come inside once it became dark.  I can remember my neighbor and I using our imagination to turn her families' shed into a school.  Not surprisely, we are now both educators. Growing up in a rural area and living on farms, we had a large area that we could explore.  I can remember spending hours playing as a young child and I look back now and realize that it was one of the best times of my life.   I think that in today's  world many children have so many toys and electronics that they aren't using their imaginations in play.   They also spend much of their time in play that is not active.  As I am raising my own children, I want them to spend plenty of time outside playing and have opportunities to use their imaginations.  I know as an adult I still like to play and I enjoy spending time playing with my kids. I think play for young children is an important part of growing up and learning.  I think adults can benefit from play too.  I think it helps with productivity and creativity.  

“If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play”
― John Cleese

Play Today?

You say you love your children,

And are concerned they learn today?

So are we- that's why we're providing

A variety of kinds of play.

You're asking us the value

Of blocks and other such toys?

Your children are solving problems.

They will use that skill everyday.

You're asking us what's the value

of having your children play?

Your daughter's creating a tower;

she may be a builder someday.

You're questioning the interest centers;

They just look like useless play?

Your children are making choices;

They will be on their own someday.

You're worried your children aren't learning;

An later they'll have to pay?

They're learning a pattern for learning;

For they will be learners always!

by Leila P. Fagg

Relationship Reflection

"The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships" - Anthony Robbins

This quote really expresses how important relationships are to me.  My friends and my family members make my life so much more full-filling.  The relationships that are important to me are my friendship with my best friend Britt, my connections with my Mom and Dad and brothers,  and the relationships with my husband and kids.  When I think about these relationships each one provides something special in my life.  My best friend, Britt, has been a friend since preschool.  We have grown up together and shared so many experiences.  We have laughed and cried.  She is someone who I have been able to confide in and talk with about anything.

 My parents and my brothers have been a source of support for me.  When I have an important decision to make, I still talk to them for guidance and support.

My relationships with my kids are the ones that give me the greatest sense of joy and accomplishment.  The love that I feel for them is unlike any other that I have in my life.

 

The relationship I have with my husband is the one however that I would characterize to be the most like a partnership.   Our relationship is one of give and take, trust, mutual love and support.

Relationships take work to maintain. Through experience I have found that there are some things that help to build relationships.  First, both sides need to contribute.  Second, good communication is an essential element.  Finally, there also needs to be a feeling of trust and a commitment to make the relationship work.

In the same way in which I have maintained relationships in my personal life, I have used the same commitment in my work in the early childhood field.  I work to establish relationships through communication and trust with children, co-workers, families and others.

All I really needed to know....

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten

by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.

 In today's education system in the United States with the focus being on academic outcomes, Kindergarten has changed from a time when children could learn through active exploration and play to one of drill, test, and push children to produce outcomes that justify the amount of money that schools are receiving and to hold teacher's accountable.  While accountability is important in every work situation and in every job, let's not forget that young children need to learn so much more than the academics that are used to hold the teacher's accountable.  Let's hold our school systems accountable for providing high quality environments in which children can grow and learn in all areas of development-  cognitive, physical and social emotional.  Let's not forget that children still need to learn how to get along with others and take care of their basic needs as Robert Fulghum points out so well in this poem.  And finally, be aware of wonder and the places that an active imagination can take our children and our nation...because in and through their imaginations you never know what great things could be in store.   



Assessing young children...what is best?

One of the biggest debates in American education today is the use of standardized tests.  Often these tests are used as a means to hold schools and teachers accountable. But do these tests really measure what matters?
I believe that an accurate assessment of a child's ability should look at all of the areas of development and consider more than just a knowledge of academics. When you think about all of the skills needed to be successful inside and outside of the classroom, from getting along with others to having a healthy self esteem, measuring only a child's academic ability seems as though it is not enough.  Also children like adults excel in different areas of development.  One child may excel in physical ability while another in academics.  Looking at Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory, intelligence can be measured in eight areas:  linguistic, logical/mathematical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, spacial, kinesthetic, musical and naturalist.  A person may excel in different areas but could be considered equally successful in their own individual way. 
However, standardized tests are not unique to the United States, they are used around the world.  In fact, China has a long history of standardized tests and is know for it's test the gaokao, or college entrance exam, that is a standardized test at the end of high school that is taken over 2-3 days.  China is also know for rote learning, and standardized testing that places a big psychological strain on students and favors children from big cities and well off families while stifling creativity. 
I can't help but to wonder if this is the future of education in the United States...more standardized tests that do not take into account all areas of development or the value of creativity and individual skills that can not be measured by a standardized test?  While there is a need to measure progress and use the information in planning an education system that helps children excel, the real challenge is finding a way to accurately assess children in a way that is more helpful than harmful. 



Wong, E. (June 30, 2012) Test that Determines the course of life in China gets a closer examination. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/world/asia/burden-of-chinas-college-entrance-test-sets-off-wide-debate.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Greenspan, A. (August 25, 2008) China Vs. America? Learning Strategies in the 21st Century.  The Globalist. Retrieved from: http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?storyid=5264

Children and Stress

Stress can be difficult for adults to handle. But when children are exposed to ongoing stress or the devastating stress like that experienced by children in war torn countries, the effects of stress can have long lasting and life changing effects.  

Having worked  for Head Start, I have witnessed many families that have struggled with stressors like poverty, domestic violence and the incarceration of one parent.   I can remember one particular family that consisted of a single mom and her four children.  The father was in jail for involvement with drugs so she was raising her four young children on her own.  She worked full time.  However, it seemed as though no matter how hard she worked she could never catch a break.  As things would start to get better for this family something would always happen to add more stress to their lives.  This single mom had little family support because the grandmother of the children did not agree with many of the choices her daughter made.  The family relied on public assistance like child care subsidy, housing/rent assistance and medical access to survive.  I can remember doing home visits with this family while they were living in a motel room because they had been evicted from their apartment.  I can remember talking with the mom after an incident of domestic violence that occurred when the father was released from jail and had returned home.  I could see the affect the stress had on the children's behavior.  The children often acted out and tested boundaries.  However, mom was very caring and very involved with her children, her love for them was apparent even in the midst of the chaos in their lives. 

In addition to the affects of ongoing stress on children, it has always concerned me about children growing up in war torn parts of the world like the Middle East.  Living in a relatively peaceful society, I can't imagine the terror and the stress that war places on children and their families.  How do children in these situations cope?  In researching this I found that modern day conflicts often result in more civilian casualties with children often being affected the most.  According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 2 million children have been killed by conflict over the last decade; 6 million children have been made homeless; 12 million have been injured or disabled; and there are at least 300,000 child soldiers operating in 30 different conflicts across the globe.  This does not even take into account the amount of children affected by the loss of parents, family and friends and the number of children that are injured emotionally and developmentally by war.  The United Nations (UNICEF), the Red Cross and many other charitable organizations are trying to bring focus to the terrible effects that war has on children.  However, wars in the Middle East continue and the innocence of children is still part of the collateral damage.

Unfortunately, children are often the ones who are affected most by stress in the family, no matter where that family lives or what the cause of the stress is.  Stress on children also has a long lasting impact.  As a parent of two children, and an early childhood educator, I feel it is my responsibility to help parents find ways to cope with stress and lessen the impact on children.  Unfortunately there is not much I can do to directly help the children in the Middle East, but I can help child care programs in my local community make referrals for families who are coping with stressors like poverty and domestic violence. 

Immunizations: Protecting our children

In the United States, some parents have become very concerned over vaccinating their children.  In Pennsylvania, the Department of Public Welfare requires that preschool children attending regulated child care programs have up to date immunizations.  Kindergarten children are also required to have immunizations prior to entering school.  As a former child care director, I can remember more than one concerned parent who, for whatever reason, did not what their child immunized.  I always found this somewhat ironic because in an effort to protect their child from what they might consider "unnecessary" shots, they were actually putting them at risk of a life threatening disease.  Diseases that immunizations are designed to protect them against.  I recently found information about immunizations in Europe and not was not surprised that many of their immunizations are similar to  the United States.  Like in the United States, immunizations in Europe have dramatically reduced many preventable diseases.  However, they have also seen outbreaks of measles and polio due to an unimmunized population.  As for my children, I have always followed the American Academy of Pediatrics immunization schedule because I can not imagine taking the risk exposing my children to life threatening or life altering diseases that are completely preventable.

References
What Recent Measles and Rubella Outbreaks in Europe Can Teach the U.S. (2012, July 2) Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/gerganakoleva/2012/07/02/what-recent-measles-and-rubella-outbreaks-in-europe-can-teach-the-u-s/

Child Birth and A Miracle called My Daughter

Almost six months after my husband and I married, I became pregnant with our first child. I had just turned 35. My pregnancy was typical for the most part. I suffered from the normal morning sickness for most of the first half of my pregnancy. At 16 weeks, I was given a blood screening which showed that I was at an increased risk of having a child with Downs Syndrome. After having an ultrasound which showed there were none of the typical physical signs of Downs, I decided that I wouldn't undergo any further invasive testing like an amniocentesis. Putting our faith in God that everything would turn out as it was suppose to, my husband and I prepared for the birth of our daughter. We anxiously awaited her birth. My due date came and went as we continued to wait. For almost a week after my due date, I underwent daily ultrasounds and stress tests. All of which showed a healthy baby girl that the doctors estimated to be about 7 lbs 12 oz. The waiting continued. Then the day finally arrived when it was time to induce labor. I arrived at the hospital on Monday morning and the slow induction process began. The next day the nurse injected me with pitocin to move along my labor. Within five minutes of it's injection into my IV, the nurse noticed the baby's heart rate dropped. She immediately gave me another injection to stop the induction. Suddenly the slow waiting turned into world wind as I was informed by the doctor that he needed to do a cesarean section because the baby was showing signs of distress. I was rolled into the operating room, as the Anesthesiologist walked along side of my bed reading the list of possible complications and asking me to sign one form after another. Within a half hour I was on the operating table, prepped and ready. My husband was brought in. He sat beside me holding my hand with a curtain between us and the doctor who was delivering our baby. Having been given a spinal block, I was fully awake and aware of everything that was going on. The nurse told me I would feel some pressure as my daughter was born. I could hear the doctor counting...one, two, three. Then I could hear the first cry of my baby girl. The nurse held her up beside me so I could see her and give her a kiss. Then they carried her away. After I spent a little time in the recovery area of the hospital I was wheeled to my room where my husband, family and friends were waiting with my daughter. She was so tiny...at 5 lbs 10 oz. She was not as big as I had expected. Later, I found out the counting that I heard during delivery was the doctor counting the number of times the umbilical cord was wrapped around my daughter's neck. Wrapped three times around her neck, the cord was stretched so thin that it was only the size of a small pinky finger. Normal cords are the size of a thumb or larger. One of the nurses who came into the room later to check on us said "Your daughter is a miracle", explaining that often when a cord is rapped around a baby's neck that many times the outcome is usually not good. She told us that it can be common for the cord to be wrapped one or even two times, but more than that often ends up in the loss of the baby during birth. She confirmed what I already knew...my daughter was a little miracle. I was so thankful to the doctors and nurses that took wonderful care of both of us.

After the birth of my daughter, I often wondered if I had been pregnant in a different time in history or in a different country what would have happened. Being curious about this and being given this task as part of my current child development class, I looked at the incidents of caesarean section in other countries and found that countries like China and Mexico actually have high rates of C-sections. I also researched a little about child birth in South Africa and found that there has been an increase in the mortality rate of mothers and children during child birth whereas the mortality rate throughout the rest of Africa and the world is actually decreasing. Curious as to why, I found that 50% of the mothers who die during labor are a result of treatable complications like an obstructed birth. I have also read that a mother's access to private or public health care in Africa may result in very different experiences for a pregnant mother. For example, poor pregnant women with HIV in South Africa are often mistreated and physically abused in public hospitals that have little to no oversight or accountability. After my research, I am even more thankful for the prenatal care and the skilled doctors and nurses that assisted me in delivering my baby girl...who today is a bright and happy kindergartener.   

 

Reference

. Christian Nordqvist. "The Shocking Truth About Giving Birth In South Africa." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 8 Aug. 2011. Web.
6 Sep. 2012. < http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232413.php>

Ethics in Early Childhood Education

What does Ethics have to do with Early Childhood Education?  I believe that it is very important as a professional to act in a way that reflects positively on ourselves and our profession.  The NAEYC Code of Ethical Coduct provides guidance for early care and educational professionals and defines what appropriate behavior is when working with children, families, colleagues and society.  The following ideals are very meaningful to me...

To be familar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.   Being an educator, I obviously value education and I think it is important to continue my own learning and remain open minded to new ideas and information.   Taking classes now to obtain my Master's Degree,  I enjoy learning more and find myself inspired by the passion of others working in the field.  In addition, as a trainer for early care and education programs, I enjoy sharing ideas and encouraging others to do the same.  

To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children's social, emotional, cognitive and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions.  I am amazed by the qualities that young children possess...including their natural curiosity and innocence.  I believe for this reason protecting children in a safe envrionment that is respectful of them is the first and most important job of any early care and education professional.  In my work as a STARS Manager for Pennsylvania's quality initiative for early care and education, I support program in their efforts to provide quality environments for young children.  

To support the right of each child to play and learn in an inclusive environment that meets with needs of children with and without disabilities.   I believe children should enjoy learning and that play is the vehicle by which young children learn the best.  I encourage other early care educators to support play and learning through play in their work.  

To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.  The most important people in a child's life are the people who make up their family.  Working in child care and Head Start I always valued the input of families, but once I became a mom, it gave me a whole new perspective of how important it is to involve parents.  

To establish and maintain relationships of respect, trust, confidentiality, collaboration and cooperation with co-workers.  It is essential that co-workers maintain a working relationship that benefits the children.  Obviously when people work together,  there are times when personalities clash, but part of being a professional is being  able to put  personal  feelings aside and  doing  what  is  right for the children and  putting  their  needs  first.  I have  worked  collaboratively as  a part of various  teams.  At times I have voiced my concerns when I feel that something is not in the best interest of the children but I have strived to maintain professional relationships that are part of a nuturing environment for young children.  

Quotes from leaders in the field of Early Childhood Education

“Most everyone knows that young children need to be challenged academically, and they need to be exposed to literacy, letters and sounds, and literature at an early age—(however) we really need to have an emphasis on all areas of development (cognitive, social and emotional skills).”- Samuel J. Meisels 

Expert decision making lies at the heart of effective teaching - Sue Bredekamp (Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs).“I’m not here to save the world; I’m here just to make a difference in the community that I’m working”  ~ Raymond Hernandez 

Personal Childhood Web

My personal childhood web consists mostly of my family.  I come from a large, close-knit family that remains close today in terms of relationships and distance.  I am the youngest of five children.  I have four older brothers.  We grew up together on a dairy farm in rural Pennsylvania, very close to where I live today.  My relationships with my parents and siblings has had a large impact on who I am now as an adult. 
The first relationship that I will describe as part of my childhood web is the relationship that I had with my mother. She was a stay at home mom so I spent many days and hours with her as I grew up. Although we didn't always see things the same way and at times we would argue, I could always talk with mom about almost anything. She would listen and offer her opinion. As an adult, I still talk with my Mom almost daily over the phone.
My Dad has always been the one who pushed me to do my best. If I received an A in school, he would ask why it wasn't an A+. As a farmer, he worked long days farming beginning at 3:00am and ending when the sun went down. He was (and still is) a hard worker and he expected the same from all my brothers and I. That is probably the reason that I am a bit of a perfectionist as an adult.

My oldest two brothers, John and Jeff, were my protectors when I was growing up.  My oldest brother, John, was always very patient and caring as I followed him around wherever he would go.  I have always looked to him as an example and for help.   But unlike my relationship with my protective older brothers, my relationship with my twin brothers, Denny and Dan, who are were only three years older, is the one that kept me grounded in reality.  This was especially true of my realtionship with Denny.  My brother Denny and I played together often and we were at times very competitive with each other.  I believe that it is from this relationship that I learned perserverance as I was usually the one who lost our battles but it never stopped me from trying.  Today, we are very close.  We have left the competitiveness behind as we have developed a mutual respect and have grown to be very supportive of each other.

My Favorite Children's Book

It is hard for me to pick just one favorite children's book because I have enjoyed reading so many different books to both the preschool children I have worked with and to my own children as a nightly routine before going to bed.  One of my favorites though has to be The Napping House by Audrey Wood.  I love this book partly because of the beautiful illustrations by Don Wood.  Being a visual learner, I have always enjoyed books that are visually appealing.  The silly story of a snoring granny is also just plan fun to read.  I believe that learning should be fun.  This funny story can be used as a means to introduce learning concepts like sequencing and also explore predictions about what will happen next as the story builds.   

Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles is also another favorite of mine.  Although not as visually appealing, I love the concepts of self esteem that can be discussed as the children go on a  journey with Edward through the zoo.  The surprise ending also always makes me smile.  I feel the underlying lesson to be learned is that it is good to be exactly who you are.    Peer pressure is something every child will deal with at some point in their life.  I feel that the children should be comfortable being who they are and not made to feel like they have to be someone else for the sake of being popular.  Hopefully, this concept introduced in preschool will carry with them as the grow and help them to embrace themselves as a completely unique individual who is loved and valued for who they are rather than what they pretend to be.

Favorite quotes about children

"A person's a person, no matter how small."-Dr. Seuss, author

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."-Lady Bird Johnson, former U.S. first lady
"Children are our most valuable resource."- Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. president

These are three of my favorite quotes about children.  I think they illustrate the importance of young children as a valuable resource, one that early childhood educators help to shape, inspire and motivate as they grow up to become the future of our society.